Friday, October 21, 2005

Anita, over at Small Business Trends, has been blogging about the American Express-sponsored event in Florida on Entrepreneurship.

Anita and Rob May (Business Pundit) had the opportunity to interview entrepreneur and billionaire Sir Richard Branson, (famed CEO of Virgin Atlantic):

Here's a few of his comments/recommendations to entrepreneurs:

On Branson's style of management: "I make sure that I spend most of my time out and about and experiencing my businesses...."

On competition and striving to be the best: "Anyway, there were 12 other airlines and they were all much, much bigger than Virgin Atlantic and we were not out to topple them, we were out to survive. They toppled themselves and every single one of them disappeared. And I think the -- the thing to learn from that is the best -- you know, the best never -- never -- never disappear."

Branson's views about the Internet: "I think if companies are not embracing it they're making a big mistake."

On the advantages of choosing entrepreneurship very very young: "One of the advantages of leaving school at 15 or 16 is you don't have a steady relationship. You don't have a mortgage to pay. You've got nothing to lose."